What to do about a bike left uncollected by a customer?

[Cyclopathic]

Hoping that some of the people out there who have been in this situation might know what to do about this.

Fixed a guys bso and it's been ready for a week and a half. I've tried texting and phoning and get straight to voicemail and no replies. Although he owes me about £30.00 for the work I'm more bothered about having the pile of crap hanging around.
I can't get rid of it because it isn't mine and I can't keep it because it's in the way.

What should I do. Does anybody know the legal standpoint here. If I get rid of it and he comes back in a few months do I owe him a bike. He has made no effort to contact me and has not returned any of my messages or calls of which there have been many.

Help.

 

[4F]

Have you got an address for him ? If so send him a letter by recorded post telling him the cost and that if not collected say within 1 week then you will start charging him £** a week storage and that if not collected within a certain date that the item will be sold to recover your costs.

 

[ColinJ]

I can't help with this one, but a bike shop that a friend worked at was in a similar situation. A customer took his Ridley in for a service and was never heard of again. All attempts to contact him failed and the bike remained in a store room for years. In the end, my mate got permission from the shop's owner to take the bike for his own use. He has been riding it for years and there is still no sign of the customer. Presumably something terrible must have happened to him.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Do you have a postal address?

If so, send him a recorded delivery letter requesting that it is collected and monies owning paid with 28 days of the date of the letter. If it's not collected within this time or you do not recieve a repsonse from him, you will dispose of the bike

 

[Cyclopathic]

Have you got an address for him ? If so send him a letter by recorded post telling him the cost and that if not collected say within 1 week then you will start charging him £** a week storage and that if not collected within a certain date that the item will be sold to recover your costs.

Do you have a postal address?

If so, send him a recorded delivery letter requesting that it is collected and monies owning paid with 28 days of the date of the letter. If it's not collected within this time or you do not recieve a repsonse from him, you will dispose of the bike

Nah, no address, just a mobile number.

 

[Cyclopathic]

I can't help with this one, but a bike shop that a friend worked at was in a similar situation. A customer took his Ridley in for a service and was never heard of again. All attempts to contact him failed and the bike remained in a store room for years. In the end, my mate got permission from the shop's owner to take the bike for his own use. He has been riding it for years and there is still no sign of the customer. Presumably something terrible must have happened to him.

Years you say! Yikes. The bike is a real piece of crap so I wouldn't be surprised if he's just thought it's not worth the £30.00 to redeem it. Which is astute of him because it really isn't though I did point this out to him at the time but he still wanted me to go ahead.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Nah, no address, just a mobile number.

humm

Some gen from Lincs CC - http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/upload/public/attachments/948/uncollected_repaired_goods.pdf any use?

 

[Cycleops]

I think Adrian has a point. To guard in future against the same or similar happening again. Something like "If not collected within x weeks I reserve the right to charge storage fees @ £x a week and if not collected within x months the bike will be disposed of" Get the customer to sign and give them a copy.

 

[Cyclopathic]

I think Adrian has a point. To guard in future against the same or similar happening again. Something like "If not collected within x weeks I reserve the right to charge storage fees @ £x a week and if not collected within x months the bike will be disposed of" Get the customer to sign and give them a copy.

I think I may just have to chalk this one up to experience and in future do the above. I'll print up some form letters and get to it. In the mean time I'll hang on to the bike for as long as I can stand it and then throw caution to the wind and the bike to the scrap yard.

 

[Cyclopathic]

humm

Some gen from Lincs CC - http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/upload/public/attachments/948/uncollected_repaired_goods.pdf any use?

Thanks for digging this up. In future I'll get addresses, at least from customers I don't know with shitty bikes.

 

[DaveReading]

"As a general guide, it may be prudent to obtain the customer's name and address when they leave the goods with you."

Sounds like good advice.

 

[raleighnut]

John at Bob Warner Cycles Has A 3 month limit on collection of cycles but it is on your copy of the job ticket and on a sign in his shop, non-collection leads to it being sold. Signs and this disclaimer would be my way of stopping this happening.
Guy who did it must be a nobber or very skint if he doesn't have a good excuse for this.

 

[glenn forger]

Maybe he's been murdered?

God, I hope he hasn't been murdered.

 

[Pale Rider]

It's tempting to have a policy on this, but I wouldn't be too strident about telling customers.

Some may find it off-putting to be - as they would see it - lectured about how to behave and what you will do if they don't.

Efficient, but friendly and informal is what to aim for.

 

[annedonnelly]

Don't dry cleaning shops have periodic sales where they get rid of stuff that's never been collected? They must impose some sort of time limit.